Month: February 2016

1 Thessalonians

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

No sense of urgency.  If you knew that Christ was returning in two weeks, I’m assuming that we would all change the way we live.  Straighten up and fly right, as it were.  Many of us know how we should live, how we should serve others, how we should be sharing the Good News of the Gospel and how we should be growing and maturing in our faith . . . and YET, we aren’t in such a big hurry.  But if we knew for sure he was coming soon, I’m fairly certain our priorities would change.  Paul reminds the Thessalonians that Christ is returning.  Are you ready? – Cindy

1 THESSOLONIANS

AUTHOR:   The apostle Paul, along with Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy (1:1).

DATE:  Around the early 50s AD – perhaps Paul’s earliest letter.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Jesus will return to gather His followers to Him.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  In this letter to another church he helped found (see Acts 17), Paul teaches on the second coming of Christ, apparently an issue of some concern to the Thessalonians.  Paul describes how Jesus will return but doesn’t say exactly when.  The important thing, in his words, is that you would walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory” (2:12).

QUOTABLE:  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. (4:16)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  1 Thessalonians contains two of the Bible’s shortest verses: “Rejoice evermore” (5:16) and “Pray without ceasing” (5:17).

SO WHAT?  The Thessalonians were told to live right in view of Jesus’ coming return.  With the passage of two thousand years, don’t you think it’s more important for us today?

Colossions

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

Beware of false teaching.  It was happening in Colosse and it happens today.  But, you ask, how will I know if it is false teaching?  Read your Bible, pray daily and ask for wisdom, put God first in your life – and if you are doing all those things, you should KNOW that it is false teaching.  There are those that listen to certain false teaching all the time, they repost it on Facebook and you ask why don’t they know that it is false?  All I can say is, Read your Bible, pray daily and ask for wisdom, put God first in your life. – Cindy

COLOSSIONS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul, along with Timothy (1:1).

DATE:  Around early 60s AD

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Jesus Christ is supreme – over everyone and everything.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  False teaching (enticing words – 2:4) had infiltrated the church at Colosse, apparently causing some people to add unnecessary and unhelpful elements to their Christian faith.  Paul sent this letter to remind Christians of the superiority of Jesus over Jewish rules and regulations (2:16), angels (2:18), and anything else.  Jesus is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (1:15).

QUOTABLE:  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3:2)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Paul mentions a letter to Laodicea (4:16) that apparently did not make the cut as New Testament scripture.

SO WHAT?  “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men . . . and not after Christ” (2:8).

Philipians

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

Joy.  It is not the same thing as happy.  Happy is a smile, a good feeling.  Joy is a state of euphoric being.  Joy is glad, satisfied, sated, humored, content, pleased, jubilant, cheerful, blissful, excited and exuberant all together and MORE.  Joy is what you feel when you know that God loves you so much that He sent his Son to die for you so that all your sins are washed away in His eyes and that you will enter the kingdom of heaven for eternal salvation!  In Philippians, Paul mentions joy or rejoicing 16 times!  Today, Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, REJOICE! – Cindy

PHILIPPIANS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul, along with Timothy (1:1).

DATE:  Around early 60s AD

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  “Friendship letter” between the apostle Paul and a beloved church.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  With 16 references to “joy” and “rejoicing,” Philippians is one of the apostle Paul’s most upbeat letters – even though he wrote it in “bonds” (1:13).  Paul thanks the church at Philippi for its support (1:5) and encourages its people to “rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (4:4).

QUOTABLE:  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (1:21)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Though unity is a common theme in Paul’s letters, he singles out two Philippian women, Euodias and Syntyche, pleading that they be of the same mind in the Lord. (4:2)

SO WHAT?  When we live in the joy of the Lord, “the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (4:7).

Ephesians

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

The church.  We think of a building, somewhere we go on Sunday (you do go, right?).  But Paul reminds us that the church is the body of Christ.  Not the literal body.  As you become a Christian, you become one with Jesus and all of us together represents his body here on Earth – the church.  There is a praise song with lyrics, “If we are the body, why aren’t our arms reaching . . .”  The song is a reminder that if we call ourselves the body of Christ, the church – we need to remember to act like it.  So today, remind yourself – “I am part of the body of Christ.  I have read in the Bible how Jesus acted and treated others.  Today, I will act like it!” – Cindy

EPHESIANS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul (1:1)

DATE:  Around AD 62, toward the end of Paul’s life.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Christians are all members of Jesus’ “body” – the church.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  Paul had started the church in Ephesus (Acts 19) and now explains in detail the church members’ relationship to Jesus Christ – so that they “may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (4:15).  Through Jesus, God has reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to Himself (2:11-18).  This new life should result in pure, honest living in the church and in the home (chapters 4-6).

QUOTABLE:  By grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. (2:8-9)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Paul tells servants (slaves, in today’s language) to “be obedient to them that are your masters” (6:5).  Why?  Because God will reward such behavior (6:8).

SO WHAT? In him (Jesus) you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (2:22)

Galations

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

Rules.  Structure.  We may not like to admit it, but we like rules and structure.  Oh, we talk about freedom to do anything we like, whenever we like – but our soul begs for boundaries.  We engrain this in our children.  Don’t touch this, it’s too hot.  Don’t try the stairs by yourself, you’ll fall.  Go to bed early. The Galations were having a hard time.  After the strict Jewish dietary laws and laws for living, this freedom in Christ was unsettling.  Soon, they were back to arguing about laws and structure.  Paul reminds them that as Christians they should live as Christ.  If you long for structure, here are your rules for today:  Today you should show love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.  Make sure you check each one off your list today! – Cindy

GALATIONS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul (1:1).

DATE:  Around AD 49, as one of Paul’s earliest letters.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Christians are free from restrictive Jewish laws.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  Writing to several regional churches, Paul can only marvel (1:6) that Galatian Christians have turned from their freedom in Jesus back to the rules of Old Testament Judaism.  Some people tried to compel Christians “to live as do the Jews” (2:14), an error even the apostle Peter made (2:11-13).  Paul argued strongly “that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God . . . For, The just shall live by faith” (3:11).

QUOTABLE:  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (5:22-23)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  One of Paul’s closing comments, “You see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand” (6:11), makes some believe that poor eyesight was the apostle’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7).

SO WHAT?  Old Testament rules don’t control Christians lives – but God’s Spirit should: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (5:16).

2 Corinthians

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

Oh those Corinthians!  Paul has already sent them one letter to straighten them out, but apparently they had some other issues.  Paul talks about respecting authority this time.  I know this will make me sound like an old woman, but showing respect for your elders and respecting those in authority was something my parents drilled into me.  The definitions of respect have changed, I think.  Is showing respect to another now consider putting ourselves beneath another?  Maybe, but isn’t that what Christ showed us, that we should love and be a servant to others?  Hmmm, things that make you think. – Cindy

2 CORINTHIANS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul, with Timothy’s assistance. (1:1)

DATE:  Around AD 55-57, shortly after he wrote 1 Corinthians.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Paul defends his ministry to the troubled Corinthian church.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  Corinthian believers had apparently addressed some of the problems Paul’s first letter mentioned – though there were still troublemakers who questioned his authority.  He was forced to “speak foolishly”, boasting of hardships he’d faced serving Jesus: “in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in death oft” (11:23).  Paul even suffered a “thorn in the flesh (12:7), which God refused to take away, telling him instead, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (12:9).  His parting warning: “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves” (13:5).

QUOTABLE: For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (5:21)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Paul never identifies his “thorn in the flesh,” though some speculate it may have been bad eyesight, temptations, even physical unattractiveness.

SO WHAT?  Christians should respect authority – whether in the church, the home or society at large.

1 Corinthians

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

We have finished the 4 Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles and now move into the Pauline letters, in other words, the letters written by Paul.  This particular letter is written to the church in Corinth, they were having some troubles and Paul sends them a letter to straighten them out.  If I told you there was a section on marriage and Christian liberty would you believe that those are still issues today?  Of course, you would.  The Bible is not some old crusty book, God’s Word is still relevant to our lives today. – Cindy

1 CORINTHIANS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul, with help from Sosthenes. (1:1)

DATE:  Around AD 55-57.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  An apostle tackles sin problems in the church at Corinth.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  Paul had helped found the church in Corinth (Acts 18) but then moved on to other mission fields.  While in Ephesus, he learns of serious problems in the Corinthian congregation and writes a long letter to address those issues.  For those arguing over who should lead the church, Paul urges “that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1:10).  For a man involved in an immoral relationship with his stepmother, Paul commands, “Put away from among yourselves that wicked person.  For those church members filing lawsuits against others, Paul warns, “Know you not that that unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”  The apostle also teaches on marriage, Christian liberty, the Lord’s Supper, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection of the dead.  In the famous 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul describes the “more excellent way” (12:31): that of charity, or love.

QUOTABLE:  “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (3:11)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Refuting opponents who questioned his apostleship, Paul insists that he is as much an apostle as Jesus’ original disciples.  “Am I not free?  Am I not an apostle?  Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?  Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?  Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you!  For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.” (9:1-2)

SO WHAT?  Church problems are nothing new – neither is the way to correct them.  Personal purity, self-discipline, and love for others are vital to a congregation’s success.

Romans

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

Is there a textbook on how to be a Christian?  Some have said that Romans is a “theology textbook” for a Christian life.  Yet, even if you have never read this particular textbook, the good news throughout the entire New Testament is this:  we all screw up and even through our messy lives, Jesus makes us “right.”  The kicker in all the New Testament is not that once you become a Christian you always do the right thing and become perfect, NO – once you become a Christian you want to do the right thing, you STRIVE to do the right thing, not because you HAVE to, but because you want desperately to become more like Christ in response to all He has given for us. – Cindy

ROMANS

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul (1:1), with secretarial assistance of Tertius (16:22).

DATE:  Around AD 57, near the end of Paul’s third missionary journey.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Sinners are saved only by faith in Jesus Christ.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  Some call Romans a “theology textbook” for its thorough explanation of the Christian life.  Paul begins by describing God’s righteous anger against human sin, noting that everyone fall short of God’s standard.  But God Himself provides the only way to overcome that sin, the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe (3:22).  Being justified (made right) through faith in Jesus, we can consider ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (6:11).  God’s Spirit will quicken (give life to) all who believe in Jesus, allowing us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.  It is possible, with God’s help, to be not overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good.

QUOTABLE: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (3:23)

The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (6:23)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Unlike Paul’s other letters to churches, Romans was addressed to a congregation he’d never met.  The great missionary was hoping to see the Roman Christians personally while traveling westward to Spain (15:23-24).  It’s unclear if Paul ever actually reached Spain or if he was executed in Rome after the end of the book of Acts.

SO WHAT?  In Paul’s own words, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (5:1)

Acts

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

We finished the 4 Gospels and now get to Acts.  Acts is also written by Luke, yesterday’s physician of note.  Acts represents the birth of the church.  On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends to give each one who has accepted Christ the power to preach boldly about Jesus.  We each have this power.  If you were a super-hero and your power was to save lives, you would use it, right?  And yet, each Christian has that “super” power to tell others of Jesus’ saving love, a love that grants eternal salvation.  Are you using you super-power? – Cindy

ACTS

AUTHOR:  Not stated, but attributed to Luke, a Gentile physician (Colossians 4:14), a missionary companion of the apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:11), and the author of the Gospel of Luke.

DATE:  Covering events of the AD 30-60s, Acts was probably written sometime between AD 62-80.

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS: The Holy Spirit’s arrival heralds the beginning of Christian church.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  Officially called “Acts of the Apostles”  the book of Acts is a bridge between the story of Jesus in the Gospels and the life of the church in the letters that follow.  Luke begins with Jesus’ ascension into heaven after forty days of post-resurrection activity, “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (1:3).  Ten days later, God sends the Holy Spirit on the festival day of Pentecost – and the church is born.  Through the Spirit, the disciples are empowered to preach boldly about Jesus, and three thousand people become Christians that day.  Jewish leaders, fearing the new movement call “this way” (9:2), begin persecuting believers, who scatter to other areas and spread the gospel through much of the known world.  The ultimate persecutor, Saul, becomes a Christian himself after meeting the brightly shining, heavenly Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Saul, later called Paul, ultimately joins Peter and other Christian leaders in preaching, working miracles, and strengthening the fledgling church.

QUOTABLE: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (2:38)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Acts tells of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, stoned to death for blaming Jewish leaders for the death of Jesus (chapter 7).  Acts also depicts the gospel’s transition from a purely Jewish message to one for all people and the beginning of the Christian missionary movement.

SO WHAT?  Christians today are driven by the same force that Acts describes:  You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.

John

Posted on by Cindy Pirtle

If you know nothing of Jesus, the book of John (in my humble opinion) is the Gospel that tells the whole story.  Genesis and John both begin with “In the beginning.”  John shows us that Jesus is God, there in the beginning.  John shows us that Jesus became a man so that He can truly understand everything we as humans feel.  And, John shows us that Jesus really died, really rose from the dead and really ascended into Heaven.  Jesus tells us that he is dying on that cross for us, that because of Him (and only Him) we will have eternal salvation if only we believe.  If you were ever muddled on what is the true meaning of life, read the book of John. – Cindy

JOHN

AUTHOR:  Not stated, but attributed to John, the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (21:7). Brother of James and son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21).

DATE:  Around the AD 90s, (this was the last Gospel written)

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  Jesus is God Himself, the only Savior of the world.

DETAILS, PLEASE:  While Matthew, Mark and Luke (these are called the “synoptic” Gospels meaning that they take a common view), the book of John stands alone.  John downplays Jesus parables (none are recorded) and miracles (only seven are featured).  Instead, John provides more extensive treatments of Jesus’ reasons for coming to earth (I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, 10:10); His intimate relationship with God the Father (I and my Father are one, 10:30); and His own feelings toward the job He had come to do (Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as though hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him, 17:1-2).  John also give special emphasis to Jesus’ patient treatment of the disciples Thomas, who doubted the resurrection (20:24-29), and Peter, who had denied the Lord (21:15-23).

QUOTABLE:  for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. (3:16)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Jesus’ very first miracle, His changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana, is recorded only in John’s Gospel (2:1-12).  So is His raising of Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44), His healing of a man born blind (9:1-38), and His long-distance healing of a nobleman’s son (4:46-54).  John is alson the only Gospel to mention Nicodemus, who heart Jesus’ teaching that “you must be born again.” (3:7)

SO WHAT?  Chapter 20, verse 31 sums it all up: “These are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.